Uncoupling lever



y 1927- c. w. NICHOLAS uncouruue LEVER Original Filed June 1921 Patented May 3, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

UHARLES W. NICHOLAS, 0F TARENTUM, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WALTER I.

MURPHY, OF OHIGAGQ, ILLINOIS.

UNCOUILING LEVER.

Application filed June 15, 1921, Serial No. 477,784. Renewed October 1, 1926.

The object of this invention is to provide an uncoupling device which may be operated from either side of the car and of such construction that the operating handle will not project forward from the end of the car whenthe lock pin of the coupler is in look set position, means being provided to permit the handle to return to itsunormal substantially vertical. position against the end of the car.

In some types of uncoupling devices the operating handle remains in its raised posi tion when the lock pin is in look set position, which in the case of use on a locomotive is very dangerous inasmuch as operators in stepping from the foot board, usually found on thefront end of locomotives, are liable to have their clothing caught in such out standing handle whereby they may be thrown on the track'and injured. Another objection to this type of device, formerly in use, is that frequently there are several persons on the foot board, in which case an op erator is likely to be thrown'oil the foot board by the opposite handle of the device, when the device is operated from the other side of the car. These conditions make it desirable to provide an uncoupling device which may be operated from either side of the car without disturbing the normal vertical position of the handle on the other side 01 the car, and further, to provide means whereby the handle operated may return to its normal substantially vertical pos1t1on,

without disturbing the lock set position of the lock pin.

This invention consistsof two operating levers separately mounted on a car upon opposite sides of the coupler, for independent operation and each provided with a depending handle at its outer end normally resting against the end structure of the car, and a crank at the inner end of each leverextend ing forwardly from the car and substantially at right angles to the handles, a rigid bar link flexibly connected to the lock pin of the coupler at its lower end and vertically slidably connected at its upper end with said crankswhereby all service movements of the coupler are permitted without imposing strain upon the levers, and whereby the levers may be independently operated and wherebythe operated lever may return to its normal position without disturbing the lock set position of the coupler pin.

In the drawings- I Figure l is a top plan view of the end structure of a car with this invention in operative position thereon.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of Figure 1. i

Figure 3 is side elevation of Figure 1, the end structure being partly in section.

The reference numeral 1 designates an end structure of a car or locomotive. For convenience the term car will be under stoodto include locomotives. The coupler 2 with its lock pin 3 may be of the approved automatic type now commonly in use.

The operating levers 4, 5 are each provided at the outer end with a depending op erating handle 6 which terminates at its lower end in a rear wardly upturned bend portion spaced from the handle and adapted to normally lie against the end structure, thereby spacing the handle 6 from the end structure, thus-eliminating all danger of the operator having'his hand crushed between the handle and end structure. The inner end of each lever is provided with a crank I so 8, 9 extending forwardly from the end structure of the car substantially at'right angles to the handle, and terminating in an eye 10, 11, diposed to one side of the crank so'that the cranks may be positioned relatively close to each other as shown in the drawing.

A bracket 12, 13 is secured near each end of the end structure and is provided with a filler piece 14, 15, and cotter pin 16, 17. A

double bracket 18 is secured midway of the ends of the end structure. These brackets are provlded wlth reenforclng llbS or 'fins .19. -,The' center bracket is also provided with filler blocks 20 and cotter pins 21. The levers are revolubly mounted in said brackets and detachably held therein by means of the filler blocks and cotter pins.

The coupler lock pin is connected to the cranks of the levers by means of a rigid bar link which comprises a hook 21 at its lower end, the end of which is deflected from the plane of'the rest of the body of the hook whereby it may, without the use of tools, be engaged with and disengaged from the eye ot the coupler lock pin only when the levers are removed from their brackets. The rest of the rigid link comprises a pair of arms or bars 23, extending upwardly from and integral with the hook 21, and terminating in open forwardly extending hooks 24, 25, the diameter of the hooks 2:1, 25 being greater than the diameter of the eyes 10, 1.1 of the cranks S, 5), thereby eliminating all danger of the hooks 24-, 25 passing through said crank eyes while the levers are mounted in the linackets. fhe arms or bars, 22. 23, pass through the eyes of the cranks and are tree to slide vertically relative to said. eyes and are free to move relative to said eyes of the cranks to accon'imodate all service movements of the coupler, the engagement between the hook 2t and the eye of the lock pin being such as will also permit of such movement withoutimposiug strain upon the operating levers -l, 5.

In use the device may be operated from either side of the car to operate the coupler pin without disturbing the normal position of the other lever, and the lever operated may return to its normal position without disturbing the lock set position of the cou pler pin.

In the use of a switching engine there a re, as a rule, several persons on the usual foot board at the front of the locomotive, and it has happened that one of the persons has been pushed from the toot board by the elevation of the handle of the pin operating lever on the end opposite that from which the lever operated; again in such levers, the handles must remain in their uppermost position, projecting forwardly from the locomotive while the coupler pin is in lock set position and while in this position they are a source of considerable danger to the op erators as they are in the zone of movement of the body of the operator as he steps upon or otl of the foot board.

By the use of this invention all danger to the operator is practically eliminated.

The operation is as follows: To uncouple the cars or to place the lock pin in look set position, the ope ator pulls forwardly the handle of either lever, thereby revolving it, in its brackets, and elevates the crank, causing the eye of the crank to move up into the hook of one of the rigid link arms whereupon the rigid link is elevated and the lock pin of the coupler pulled to lock set position. after which the handle of the lever is liberated whereupon it automatically falls to its normal substantially vertical position against the end structure without disturbing the lock set position of the lock pin. This operation of one lever does not disturb the normal position of the other lever which remains passive during the operation.

hat is claimed is:

1. In a release rigging for car couplers the combination with two independently mounted levers on a car, an operating handle on the outer end of each lever depending normally in a substantially vertical position and lying against: the end structure of the car, a crank on the inner end of each lever projecting forwardly from the car structure and terminating in an eye, of a single rigid member operatively connecting said cranks with the lock pin of the coupler said member comprising two spaced arms teri'ninating in a stop at their upper ends and asingle open hook uniting the lower ends of: said arms: said arms engaging the eyes of said cranks and vertically slidable therethrough, and said hook constructed to engage the lock pin of a coupler, whereby the member may be elevated as a unit by either lever to lift the lock pin without disturbing the normal position of the other lever and whereby the lever operated may return to its normal position without disturbing the lock set position of the lock pin.

2. In a release rigging for a car coupler, the combination with two independently mounted uncoupling rods revolubly mounted on the end of a car, each having a normally depending operating handle at its outer end and a crank at. its inner end extending forwardly from the car to a point substanti ally over the coupler head, and at rightangles to the handle and terminating in an eye, of a link having a plurality of upstanding arms and an open hook joining the arms at their lower extremities. said arms at their upper end loosely engaging the respective eyes of the said cranks to permit of a vertical movement of the bar link relative to the eye while the hook at the lower end engages the eye of the lock pin of the coupler, whereby the lock pin may be moved to lock set position by either rod without disturbing the normal position of the other rod, and where by the rod operated may return to normal position without disturbing the lock set posi tion of the pin.

3. In a car coupler uncoupling device the combination with the lock pin of the coupler having an eye, of a pair of independent rotatably mounted operating rods, a lever on each of said rods extending substantially over the coupler and terminating in an eye disposed vertically substantially over said pin, a link having a plurality of upstanding arms and an open hook joining the arms at their lower extremities, the joints between the said eyes and said link constituting flexible joints which permit of the normal longitudinal and transverse movements of the coupler without imposing strain on said l ver.

4. In a release rigging for car couplers, the continuation with the lock pin of the coupler, and two independently mounted operating rods on the end of a car, a handle on the outer end of each rod normally depending vertically against the end structure of a the car, a forwardly extending crank on the inner end of each lover, of a single rigid link flexibly connected with the lock pin and the cranks of said rods, said link having two upwardly extending arms operatively engaging said cranks and adapted to slide vertically relative to said cranks and terminating at their upper ends in open hooks, whereby the lock pin may be ope ated and moved to lock set position by either lever without moving the other lever and whereby the lever operated may return to its normal position without disturbing the lock setposition of the pin.

5. In a release rigging for car couplers, the combination with the coupler lock pin, and two independently mounted operating rods on the end of a car, a handle on the outer end of each rod, normally depending vertically, a forwardly extending crank on the inner end of each lever, of a single rigid link flexibly connected with the look pin and the cranks of the rods, said link having two upwardly extending arms operatively engaging said cranks and adapted to slide vertically relatively to said cranks and terminating at their upper ends in a stop; whereby the lock pin may be operated and moved to lock set position by either lever without moving the other lever and whereby the lever operated may return to normal position without disturbing the lock set position of the pin.

6. A lifting link for a car coupler release rigging having a plurality of upstanding arms and an open hook joining the arms at their lower ends.

7. A lifting link for wear coupler release rigging, having a plurality of upstanding arms and a spiral hook joining the arms at their lower extremities.

8. A lifting link for a car coupler release rigging having a plurality of arms terminate ing at their upper ends in hooks, and a hook joining the arms at their lower ends.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES W. NICHOLAS. 

